WARNING: This is a preview of Scream or Die. All components and rules are prototype and subject to change.

Review:Rules and Setup:
With only three phases of game play per turn, before the roll, after the roll, and scoring, the rules are easy to learn. Before the roll the player selects five dice from the bag and shows them to the opponents. All opponents can then spend screams to add more dice to this dice pool, with each extra die costing one scream, but they can only add die once per round.

After the player rolls opponents can spend screams to make them re-roll dice starting with the player to the left, again at a cost of one scream per die and only once per round. Finally, the round is scored, with each player scoring one candy for each time their monster symbol shows, and the roller getting one scream per scream symbol rolled. The x2 and x3 cause two and three symbols to be counted. After scoring the next player takes the bag of dice and the phases begin again. A player wins when they collect thirteen candies, and reach the end of their candy tracker.

Setup is simple and sweet for this game. Each player just chooses a monster, grabs the corresponding colored candy tracker, then awaits their screams (in game currency). The player who saw a horror film or scary movie most recently goes first, and gets 3 screams. The rest of the players get four screams, and in a four player game the final player gets five screams. All that's left is to shake the bag of dice and start game play.

Theme and Mechanics:
The theme of Halloween and ghoulishly cute cartoon monsters haunts this game. From the purple and orange color scheme to the gaping mouths representing the screams, every element of the game contents is delightfully spooky. As a dice roller, the mechanics are not too complicated. However, there is a strategic element to cripple your opponents by paying screams to make them re-roll their best die.

Game Play:
Scream or Die game play embodies the "you snooze you loose" mentality. Using screams to sabotage opponents is necessary to win the game, as turns move quickly throughout the game. Players can even win on an opponents turn if their monster is rolled on die and boosts them to thirteen candies. Strategy is important, despite the simple and un-assuming nature of this dice roller. It is easy to learn and teach, but interesting and complex enough to keep players of all ages happy. The theme of the game makes it especially popular around fall and Halloween.

Artwork and Components:
Adorable interpretations of the monsters, Vlad, Harry, Griff, and Seth, shine on both the monster mats and the dice. They allow the game to maintain its spook-factor while still being family friendly, as none of the monsters look scary or threatening.

Image courtesy of Amber Palace Games

Image courtesy of Amber Palace Games

The game components include fifteen colored dice, all in classic Halloween colors, one dice bag, 36 scream tokens, four monster mats, and four candy trackers.

The Good:
Game play is quick and easy to learn, making this game ideal for families with young kids or on the go. The art and theme add charm to this simple dice roller, and make it unique from other games on the market.

The Bad:
A game with only two players may last under 10 minutes if the advice of taking two monster mats is followed. For longer gameplay with two players I advise choosing only one monster per player. Additionally the dice bag is not very opaque, making it easy for players to see through the bag and pick better dice for their roll phase.

Final Thoughts:
This game is a great take on the themed dice roller, and its art and use of screams as currency make it unique to other games on the market. It can easily be played by families, in four player or two player games, and on the go.

Players Who Like:
Players who enjoy themed dice rollers like Dice of Crowns, or opponent offense games like 3 seeds will enjoy Scream or Die.

I am giving Scream or Die 8 out of 10 super meeples.

8

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Check out Scream or Die on:

Coming to Kickstarter soon.

About the Author:

Sarah Johnson is a freelance writer and board game enthusiast. When she’s not playing games or writing reviews, she enjoys writing articles for food and wine magazines. Sarah lives in rainy Corvallis, Oregon where she studies writing, English, and communications.